Bedford Funeral Chapel: Four Generations Later

For nearly 45 years, Urbanski’s Bedford Funeral Chapel has stood at Lewis Ave. and Donna Dr. in Temperance.

In those years, four generations of the Urbanski family have passed the business from hand-to-hand. But the vision that was once created by Stanley J. Urbanski in the late 1960s still holds strong today by his grandson, William Urbanski, and his great-grandson, Eric.

“It was important to my grandfather,” Bill Urbanski said, of keeping the business in the family. “It was always a hope that I would have a child (to take over).”

Bill’s childhood home was above the original Urbanski Funeral Home on Lagrange St. in Toledo. The family later bought a home in Bedford Township, and he has called Bedford home ever since. He opened Bedford Funeral Chapel with his father and grandfather when he was 21.

While growing with the business, Mr. Urbanski became heavily involved with the community by starting the first ambulance service in the area. At that time it was traditional for funeral homes to run ambulance services simply because they had vehicles that could accommodate a person lying down on a cot.

“(In Bedford), they had a real need.” Mr. Urbanski said, explaining that the Urbanskis had not run ambulance services for long from their Toledo chapels. “So that’s how I first inserted myself in the community — with flashing lights and sirens.”

Mr. Urbanski became one of the first EMTs trained in Michigan and one of the first paramedics in the area. In the 1970s he would hold EMT classes in the funeral home’s chapel rooms.

Later, he served as the first-ever first vice president of the Bedford Business Association and he has been a fire commissioner for nearly 10 years.

Mr. Urbanski’s three children, Jennifer Renee, Jenny Lynn and Eric, grew up around the funeral home but all went on to pursue other dreams. Jennifer Renee lives in Florida and Jenny Lynn lives in New Jersey, close to New York City.

After studying computer sciences in college, Eric realized he wanted to be the one to take over the family’s business. He now lives in a home almost right across the street from the Bedford Chapel.

“He didn’t have any interest, and then — all of a sudden — he did,” Mr. Urbanski said.

Eric, following in family tradition, went on to attend the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. His father, grandfather, great-grandfather and a number of uncles and cousins have also received their licenses from the school, which opened in 1882 after the Civil War.

Since Eric has come on board, the Urbanski’s have been able to make some changes to their business that they believe serves the community better. They have added comfort rooms with televisions and kitchenettes to help the families of the deceased feel at home. They use television screens with personalized photos and information to direct people to the correct chapel within the funeral home.

“We try to personalize each service as much as possible,” Eric said. “When you walk into the room, we want you to get a sense of who that person is. Every family that comes in here always says how comfortable they feel. It doesn’t look like a classic funeral home. We want them to feel like they can sit and talk. Our goal is that people will feel comfortable here.”

In the next few years, as the business transitions into Eric’s hands, he plans to do everything in his power to keep it run by an Urbanski — perhaps one of his own children. “We’re looking forward to the fifth generation,” Eric said.